This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Injection molded bins are designed to hold component or products for shipment and/or storage. One exemplary use is in the manufacturing industry. For example, the polymer bin may be reused many times for transporting component between a component supplier and an automobile or other product assembly plant.
Polymer bins have a finite usable life. When the polymer bin becomes damaged and is no longer useful, the bin is either discarded or ground up as a means of recycling the plastic. Alternatively, the polymer bin may become obsolete or unwanted if the component for which the bin is designed are discontinued and the polymer bin does not adequately fit another component.
Polymer bins are made in a limited number of sizes or footprints. The sizes are limited so they fit in a desired manner inside a standard pallet footprint for shipping purposes, which is commonly 48 inches by 45 inches. Polymer bins are made in a limited number of heights so that when loaded and stacked, the height of the pallet load is between 48 and 52 inches or close. For example, one common load is 11 inch tall polymer bins stacked four high. Polymer bin tooling is very expensive. In addition, making such tooling for tall polymer bins (say 23 inches) is difficult. For 48×45 pallet layouts 24″(l)×22″(w)=pallet layout 2×2(bins/layer)×(tbd) # layers; 24″(l)×15″(w)=pallet layout 2×3(bins/layer)×(tbd) # layers; 16″(l)×15(w)=pallet layout 3×3(bins/layer)×(tbd) # layers; 15″(l)×12″(w)=pallet layout 3×4(bins/layer)×(tbd) # layers
The inside height of a 52′ semi-trailer is 110″. Therefore, comfortable max pallet load height is 52″, but it could go up to 54.5″ or could be one pallet load stack up to 109″. It is very important that potential number of layers of bins per pallet is numerous. You also don't have to stack like bin heights on each pallet. This opens even more combinations. The main boundary is the pallet dimensions and truck dimensions. A pallet doesn't have to be a 48×45 size. Some bin sizes work on 36″×30″ or 32″×30 or 38″×32″.
What is needed in the art is a method of manufacturing a custom sized plastic bin from one or more unwanted, obsolete, or damaged polymer bins. The resulting bin is lighter and, therefore, cheaper and easier to transport than known cut and welded polymer bins.
Accordingly, further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
According to the present teaching, a selectively configurable bin is taught having a wall member formed of a corrugated material. The corrugated material is configured to plastically deform in compression around its perimeter. A monolithic base is formed of a rigid injection molded plastic. The base defines a frame and a web portion, the base frame has corner ribs configured to increase added impact strength. The web portion includes a circular rib in center configured to reduce deflection of the web. Defined within the base frame is a channel configured to capture a secure bin wall member in place.
Disposed within the channel, are a plurality of longitudinal and diagonal ribs configured to add rigidity. Protrusion features are formed lining inside of bin wall channel to pinch/secure the wall in place, the protrusion features protrude from the perimeter inset for nesting inside of bin top rim when vertically stacking multiple bins. Male locating post with a flexible clip feature lock corner post in position and unlocking for disassembly of bin.
The frame defines a flush exterior base wall configured to increase impact strength and a clean side by side stacking. A plurality of exterior vertical rib features are configured for lightweight impact and compression strength, the base frame includes molded handles on opposed first ends of base. Four corner bin members which are extruded can be cut to desired length. They can have 2 notches equally defined approximately 1″ from the edge with the corner post height being adjustable to provide a bin with a predefined height efficiently. An interior of corner post defines a void to fit over the protruding male features in the corners of the base. Notches defined on opposite ends of the four corner members to accept rigid flexible clips on the base, wherein the notches have enough space to accept the male clip feature, securing the corner post to the base.
A monolithic frame formed of four members coupled members defining a through aperture is coupled to a second end of each of the four corner posts. Similar to the monolithic base, each of the four members of the monolithic frame define a wall member accepting slot, the slot has a plurality of ribs configured to engage and compress a portion of the periphery of the wall member.
According to the present teachings, a configurable bin has a wall member formed of a corrugated material, said corrugated material configured to plastically deform in compression around a perimeter of the wall member. The bin has a monolithic base formed of a rigid injection molded plastic, and a base frame and a web portion. Defined within the base frame is a channel configured to capture and secure the wall member perimeter, disposed within the channel, are a plurality of ribs configured to deform on of the four wall members, the ribs protruding a wall defining the channel, said monolithic base having four coupling corner members. Four corner members each defining a through aperture configured to engage one of the four coupling members. The bin contains a monolithic frame formed of four frame members and defining a wall member accepting slot, said slot having a plurality of ribs configured to engage and compress a portion of the periphery of the wall member.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.